Sharon Knight, a somewhat refreshing addition to politics in Ballarat, represents the electorate of Ballarat West. Having held the position for just over six months, Sharon comes across as genuine and open. Describing the Baillieu government as indifferent and lacking in enthusiasm, Sharon says she

''I've knocked the brick wall down; this is going through, this is done, full stop.'' Prime Minister Julia Gillard, 10 July 2011.
The good news is that the modest carbon price announced yesterday will neither impoverish Australians nor bankrupt our economy. The bad news is that the modest carbon pr

Global Warming, Risk &amp; Governance
Global warming is about risk and uncertainty. Many factors probably contribute to it, including natural variability. However, it is beyond reasonable doubt that the world is warming and that human carbon emissions are a major contributor. The risks of destab

In what appears to be an act of petty political recrimination, the new Victorian Coalition Government has slashed its funding for Environment Victoria, the state's leading independent environment group (not to be confused with Victoria's Environment Protection Authority, a statutory body). The recen

A billboard seeking to recruit a new generation of young drinkers in Ballarat breached the industry advertising code and has now been removed. The Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code (ABAC) Complaints Panel determined that the advertising campaign encouraged under-age drinking and used models under t

...and Horse-trading in Human Meat.
Now Australia is engaged in the open bribery of foreign governments and paying a premium for preferential treatment for the elite class of refugee we are trafficking to Malaysia, who are worthier than their brethren and won't be subjected to recreational flogging

Independent Distillers are looking to recruit a new generation of drinkers with a billboard targeting young people in Ballarat.
Picturing three young men who appear to be just over 18 drinking on the streets, the 'Three Kings' advertisements are the latest attempt from Independent Distillers to rec

Columbian politician Betancourt was captured by FARC guerrillas during her presidential campagin in 2002. She had run on an anti-corruption platform, and one of the campaign activities involved handing out condoms on the street, something which her dad was a bit uneasy with. The gesture was intended

Federal Member for Ballarat Catherine King has refused to take a stance on how revenue raised from a proposed price on carbon should be spent.
Kate and Will's royal wedding has certainly revived interest in the monarchy, but Catherine King hasn't given regional climate change campaigners any royal

David Donovan reviews Australian Gary Caganoff's award-winning and confronting documentary about Afghanistan: &lsquo;The Garden at the End of the World'. "What happens to a country when all the young men are dead?" This is the tragedy of Afghanistan, a country that has been ruptured by war for ov

Wind back 4 years. For anyone who kept their eye on the news, or who attended the infamous Kryal Castle Raves, you will remember a rave party named Ultraworld that brought Kryal Castle's dance party days to an end.The reason was put down to excessive illicit drug consumption, with police noting that

Everything in life is political, like it or not. This is particularly evident in the kitchen, which can provide us with analogies for other parts of our lives and even traditional politics as we know it. There's no escaping it, politics is in your choice of toilet paper and office paper, which elect

In a private meeting yesterday, did Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth ask Prime Minister Julia Gillard not to wait until the 85 year old monarch dies to convert Australia to a Republic? Tess Lawrence reports.